| Organizing Your Recyclables | | | | have to be bundled together so that they are |
| | | | in neat stacks and don't cause a mess. |
| If you want to start recycling some of the | | | | Plastic bottles should be rinsed out and have |
| items you commonly have cluttering up your | | | | the lids removed before you place them in the |
| house, you'll need to come up with an | | | | bin designated for plastic. Once you start |
| organizational system that you can stick to | | | | your system, keep up with it every time by |
| no matter what. The organizational system | | | | washing out bottles and cans each time you |
| will help to keep your house from getting | | | | use them and keeping the newspapers and |
| cluttered with recyclables, but it will also | | | | magazines in manageable stacks. |
| help you to keep everything organized so that | | | | |
| having your recyclables picked up or dropping | | | | Having Your Recyclables Picked Up |
| them off at a recycling center is not a | | | | |
| hassle at all. Organizing your recyclables | | | | If you are going to have your recyclables |
| starts with setting up your system and then | | | | picked up by your community or your municipal |
| maintaining it each and every week for the | | | | trash hauling company, you need to find out |
| best results. | | | | when pickups are and how your recyclables |
| | | | need to be packaged in order for them to be |
| Developing a System | | | | picked up. Some companies require that your |
| | | | recyclables be in specially-marked bags. |
| You'll need to sort your recyclables to keep | | | | Others require that you use large plastic |
| them organized, so you may want to buy | | | | trash cans that they can empty when they |
| several large bins or heavy duty trash cans | | | | arrive at your house and place on our |
| so you can sort your recyclables each day | | | | property when they are empty. Be sure to |
| instead of doing them all at once in a | | | | remember when pickup day is or you may be |
| session that may take hours. You'll need to | | | | stuck with cans and bottles piling up while |
| buy your containers and then mark them if you | | | | you wait until the next week for another |
| have other family members who need reminding | | | | pickup. |
| about what recyclables go where. | | | | |
| | | | Dropping Off Recyclables |
| Preparing Your Items for Recycling | | | | |
| | | | You can also drop off your recyclables at |
| You need to follow the instructions given by | | | | your local community center if it offers a |
| your community recycling center or municipal | | | | recycling program. Again, ask ahead of time |
| pickup group so you can be sure that all of | | | | to find out how you need to bundle newspapers |
| your items are accepted. Cans should be | | | | and magazines and how you should pack cans |
| rinsed out and put in their own separate bin. | | | | and bottles. |
| Bottle should also be rinsed out. Any caps | | | | |
| or safety seals should be removed from | | | | Having your organizational system in place |
| bottles before putting them in your bottle | | | | will help you to keep your home free of |
| container. Newspapers need to be bundled | | | | clutter and help you remember when recycling |
| together so they're not escaping all over the | | | | day is in your town. |
| place and causing a mess. Magazines may also | | | | |